Newsletter

Posted July 20, 2012 10:05 am

Barrow Blotter

The Barrow County Sheriff’s Office reported the following incidents:

VEHICLE ENTERED: On July 12, a deputy was dispatched to a home on Georgia Highway 211, Winder, where a man reported that during the preceding night someone entered two vehicles. The thief took a flashlight valued at $200, a GPS valued at $599, a Buck knife valued at $10, a Fossil wallet valued at $50, a cellphone valued at $50, and $280 cash.

THIEF SPOTTED: On July 12, a deputy was dispatched about 1 p.m. to Mackinaw Drive, Bethlehem, where a woman saw a man trying to enter her car. The suspect, a white man wearing a white hoodie and jeans, fled before the deputy arrived.

The woman said she had just gotten home and entered the house when she heard a noise and upon looking outside saw the man standing beside her car with an object in his hand. When she turned on the light in her garage, the man ran. The man also dropped the item, described as makeshift “slim jim” tool for entering cars, as he fled.

HARASSMENT: On July 12, a 20-year-old Winder woman reported receiving several harassing text messages from another woman. She thinks it started over Facebook comments about a picture showing her ex-boyfriend and the suspect’s niece.

The victim sent the woman a message asking her to stop the text messages, and the woman responded that she should mind her own business.

BURGLARY: On July 13, a deputy was dispatched to Providence Circle, where a man said he was moving out of the home and had returned for the remainder of his property. He found the front door forced open and numerous items missing, including a 70-inch LED television valued at $2,700, a 55-inch TV valued at $1,200, and a sound system valued at $700.

CAT BURGLAR: On July 16, a Crosswalk Drive, Winder, resident called to report she heard noises at her front door and believed someone was trying to get inside. The woman’s dog also began barking. When the deputy arrived, he saw a large orange and white cat run off the front porch and go into the nearby trees.

MARIJUANA SEIZED: On July 13, Investigator Aaron Hudson with the Barrow County Narcotics Task Force executed a search warrant on Elise Drive, Bethlehem, regarding marijuana growing in a greenhouse in the backyard.

Alford Vernon Terry, 52, and Laura Leanne Terry, 41, were arrested on a charge of manufacturing marijuana. William Taylor Jordan, 19, of Bethlehem was charged with possession of less than an ounce of marijuana.

A-C THEFT: On July 13, a deputy responded about 3:40 p.m. to Blueberry Lane and Pickle Simon Road where a woman reported that two men were seen stealing an outdoor air-conditioning unit from a vacant home and were leaving in a green Ford F-150 pickup. A black vehicle was also seen at the location.

A deputy saw the truck turn into a private drive on Amber Ridge Road and go behind a house. The suspects ran into the woods, and deputies found the air-conditioning unit in the truck bed. Two cellphones were found inside the truck.

Deputies searched the area, but could not locate the two suspects.

SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY: On July 13, a resident of Jessica Court, Winder, report that her dogs were barking and when she walked outside, a man at a house across the street shouted, “Hey!”

The woman saw two men and asked if everything was OK. The house was recently involved in a home invasion where guns were fired, and because the men appeared suspicious, she called 911.

She told the responding deputy that the men got into a blue vehicle and left before the deputy arrived. She was advised to call authorities if the men returned.

HORSE DIES: On July 14, a deputy was dispatched to a home on Jefferson Highway, Winder, where two miniature horses were kept in a small pen. One of the horses was dead and the other appeared to be in bad health.

The deputy noticed there was no feed buckets or fresh water in the pen and very little grass. The deputy contacted animal control and an investigator with the Department of Natural Resources was called to the scene.

The owners of the horses arrived and the women said a brother who lives in Barrow County was supposed to have been caring for the horses.

The county took custody of the living horse. The dead horse was buried on the property. Both owners were cited, and a state Department of Agriculture official spoke with them.

THREAT: On July 14, a deputy was dispatched to Kirkland Circle, Statham, where a resident reported that his life and that of his family had been threatened by a neighbor, who was angry because he had warned his neighbors that he would kill their aggressive dog if it came back into his yard.

Chester Allen Davis, 33, was charged with making a terroristic threat. Davis told the deputy that while he did threaten to kill his neighbor’s family, he said it out of anger and didn’t really mean it.

GRASS CUTTING: On July 14, a deputy was dispatched to Natalie Drive, Bethlehem, where a man said a neighbor had cut his grass without his permission. The owner said he didn’t believe the act was malevolent.

The deputy contacted the neighbor, who said he thought the work would be appreciated, but the deputy told him the resident didn’t want him cutting his yard anymore. The neighbor was told that if the complainant’s yard became overgrown again, he should call the sheriff’s office to speak with the deputy who enforces the county ordinances regarding overgrown yards.

ENTERING AUTO: On July 15, a deputy was dispatched to Bowman Mill Road, where a man said that after he was released from jail on a shoplifting charge, he came home to find that his pickup had been burglarized. The man said $1,870 worth of items were stolen, including a CD player, speakers, amplifiers, a GPS unit and a cellphone.

BURGLARY: On July 16, a resident of Hog Mountain Road, Statham, reported someone kicked in the door to his shop, which set off the alarm. Nothing appeared to be missing, but there were tire tracks in the yard and a boot print on the shop door.

THEFT: On July 16, a deputy was dispatched to Pin Oak Drive, Bethlehem, where a home owned by City Mortgage had been burglarized. Extensive damage was done to the home about a week earlier, but a representative of the company could not find any new damage this time. The previous damage to walls, carpet, windows and floors, was estimated at $30,000.

WALLET RECOVERED: On July 16, a deputy was dispatched to the Gold and Silver Exchange in Winder for a person who was refusing to leave. Deputies determined that Salvador Gambino had a suspended license, so he was arrested and charged with that offense.

During a search of Gambino’s car, a deputy found a woman’s driver’s license. Gambino explained he had found the woman’s wallet on the roadside. The deputy contacted the woman, who said she left her wallet at Publix in Winder and upon returning to the store the wallet was gone. She said someone had used her debit card and made charges amounting to $200.

Gambino, 33, of Auburn, also was charged with theft by receiving stolen property.

ILLEGAL DUMPING: On July 16, a resident of Dogwood Trail, Winder, reported finding two plastic trashbags filled with catfish heads and entrails. The bags may have been placed there to harass Comcast employees.

BURGLARY: On July 17, a deputy was dispatched to Mary Avenue, Bethlehem, where a man said someone entered the residence during the previous night by removing a window frame.

The man said the intruder entered the home while he and his mother were asleep, and because he is hard of hearing, he didn’t hear anyone. The burglar removed $240 and a pocketknife from the woman’s purse.